Combination load lifting and transporting device



United States Patent Martin Guerrico Paraguay 1142, Buenos Aires, Argentina 742,113

June 5, 1968 Dec. 22, 1970 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 705,840, Feb. 15, 1968, now Patent No. 3,512,663

lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented COMBINATION LOAD LIFTING AND Primary Examiner-Banjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner-John A. Pekar Attorney-Linton & Linton ABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to combination load lifting and transporting devices and provides a hollow load lifting lever member carrying a detachable rolling load-transporting means with the hollow lever member being provided with spring means for thrusting the rolling load-transporting means under a load and free of the lever member when said lever member is in its full load lifting substantially horizontal position and the device can be relatively small in size and will find particular application whenever it is desired to move a relatively small and heavy load, for example, it is particularly advantageous for lifting a door off its hinges and pushing or drawing it while resting on the rolling load-transporting means to a desired location for painting, repairing or otherwise treating the door.

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INVENTOR MARTIN GUERRICO BY W5;

ATTORNEYS PATENTEU [lEC22 I976 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR MHPT/IV GUERRICO BY M w/fix ATTORNEYS This invention relates to a novel combination load lifting and transporting device. A present application is a continuation-in-part of my copendingapplication, Ser. No. 705,840,

- filed Feb. 15, 1968 now US. Pat. No. 3,512,663.

Various types of devices are known and used for lifting and moving loadsfs'uch as'the so-calle'd pinch bars, warehouse trucks, industrial lift trucks and the like.

Pinch bars comprise an elongated ,bar having'a flattened an gular end portion and a pair of wheels at-the fulcrum which permit a certain transportation of the load:

Warehouse trucks comprise a generally rectangular frame one end of which is mounted on a pair of wheels and provided with a projecting toe member forming an obtuseangle with the frame, the opposite end of the frame carrying a pair of generally coplanar handles. In orderto raise aload by means of a warehouse truck, the operator raises thehandle end of the truck frame, slides the angular toe member between the bottom of the load and the surface'supporting same and then lowers the handle endof the fram Creating alever action with the truek'wheels'as fulcrum, which will raise the load. The load thus lifted can be transported by sustaining the weight thereof at the handles. This method of lifting and transporting is generally satisfactory in the case of loads which are relatively light in weight and small in size, but cannot be used safely for handling loads which arevvery heavy and/or bulky.

Industrial lift trucks or the like are in turn generally not suitable for transporting extremely heavy and bulky loads unless they are specially designed for such purpose.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of readily raising ai ed and mounting same on a transporting means carried by the device.

A further object of the'invention is to provide a load lifting and transporting device which maybemade to have the size of a hand tool useful,- for example in, raising doors off the hinges thereof and moving them such as for painting or other services, or flat-bottomed pieces of furniture and the like, for

cleaning and other purposes, or heavier, larger sizes for industrial and other uses.

A still further objectof the invention isto provide a hand device of the aforesaid type, 'whereinthe transporting means thereof can perform its function independently of the lifting means with which the transporting means is associated.

. A still further object of thein'vention is to provide a load lifting and transporting device which can be operated within-relatively small spaces.

A still further object of the present invention is a combination load lifting and transporting device comprising means for lifting a load; rolling load transporting means releasably carried by said load lifting means; and means for impelling said rolling load transporting means under a load while said load is held in lifted position-by said lifting means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof,

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and "readily carried into practice, some of the presently FIG. 7 isaperspective view ofa modified embodiment of the load lifting and transporting device according to the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic, partly sectional, side view of a modified embodiment of the device according to the invention, for use in lifting and transporting heavier loads;

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the hand device for lifting and transporting loads comprises a lifting device indicated generally at A and a transporting device indicated generally at B.

As shown, the lifting. device A includes an elongated member 1, generally in the shape of an inverted "U" in cross profile and preferably made of cast iron'or steel, having a pair of opposed upright sidewalls 2 and a flat top wall 3. The member 1 has a rear arcuate closedend 4 and an open front end. The front edges 5 of the sidewalls 2 are cut away so as to form an obtuse angle with the lower longitudinal edges 2' thereof, for-a purpose to be explained hereinafter. A flat toe piece 6 projects upwardly from the front'end of the top wall 3, forming an obtuse angle therewith. The toe piece 6 may be integralwith the top wall 3 or a separate member firmly secured thereto.

Within the U-shaped member I and about midway between the sidewalls 2 there is provided atransporting device ejector means constituted by a longitudinally-extending coil spring 7 which as shownis guided in a channel member 8 fixed to the inner surface of the top wall 3. The rear end of the coil spring 7 is anchored to a projection 9 provided within the channel member 8, whereas the front end of said spring,in its uncompressed condition, extends for a certain distance beyond the front end 10 of the channel member 8. This is the main construction of the invention.

The load-lifting device A may comprise a releasable means for temporarily locking the transportingdevice B in position within the lifting device A, ready to be ejected by said ejector means. As shown in FIG. I, said releasable locking means comprises a latch mechanism formed by alatch bar 11- angularly movable between a locking position and a released position about a pivot pin 12 extending transversely of the lifting device A between the sidewalls 2 and secured thereto in any suitable manner. For example, the ends of the pivot pin 12 may be made to project slightly throughsuitable holes in the sidewalls 2 and secured by upsetting. l

The forward end of the latch bar 11 is formed with an upwardly facing hook portion 13, located at a short distance ahead of the front end 10 of the channel member 8, whereas the rear end of the latch bar-ll terminates in a downwardly extending arm portion 14 projecting for a short distance from the'bottom of the lifting device A as defined by the lower edges 2' of the sidewalls 2. A coil spring 15, the lower end of which is titted about a short upwardly extending projection 16 formed at the tail end of the latch bar 11 and the upper end of which engages the underface of the channel member 8, urges the latch bar 11 to its locking position.

The load transporting device B as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is somewhat similar to a dolly and comprises a top wall or platform 17, sidewalls 18 and a rear wall 19 which extends from the top wall 17 down to about one half of the height of the sidewalls 18. The forward edges 18' of the sidewalls 18 are oblique, forming an obtuse angle withthe lower edges thereof, in a manner similar to the front edges 5 of the lifting device sidewalls 2. A roller 20 including a roller pin 21 is mounted for modified form of transporting means for use in combination ment of the invention, ,with the transporting means shown detached'from the lifting means;

FIG. 6 is a side view, partly in longitudinal section, showing a modified transporting means; v

free rotation between the sidewalls 18, the ends of the pin 21 being supported in a suitable bearings provided in the sidewalls, 18, which preferably include ball bearings (not shown). The roller 20 is positioned and dimensioned so as to project slightly from both the oblique and the bottom edges of the sidewalls 18. In the constructions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the top wall 17 is formed with a central opening 22. The dimensions of the transporting device B are such that it can be pushed into the lifting device A through the open front end of the latter, to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1 in which the spring 7 will be compressed in the channel member 8, the

only a portion of the roller 20 will project from the lower portion of the oblique sidewall front edges 18' and 5 of both the transporting device B and the lifting device A, respectively. In this position, the device is ready for use in raising and transporting a load.

When it is desired to lift and transport a load L, the device is first placed in the inclined position as shown in full lines in FIG. 1, with the toe piece 6 slid between the load and the floor. The lifting device A thus becomes a lever of the first kind, with the roller 20 initially as fulcrum. When the operator applies a weight on the device A rearwardly of the roller 20, for example with his foot, the load L will be gradually lifted and the fulcrum transferred to the front portions of the sidewall lower edges 2', and when the device A is about to reach its final position with the sidewall lower edge 2 flat on the floor, the free end of the latch arm 14 will first engage the floor and then said arm 14 will be moved upwardly against the action of the spring 15, thereby releasing the latch 13. This will automatically cause the transporting device B to be ejected forward due to the action of the spring 7, to a position under the load L, as shown in dot and dash lines in FIG. 1. It

will be noted that the load L will be lifted to a height EH which exceeds the height SI-I sufficient to allow the transporting device B to be rolled thereunder, the difference in height being equivalent to that between the upper surface of the lifting device top wall 3 and the upper free edge of the toe piece 6. Consequently, after the load L has been lifted to the height EH, the gradual removal of the weight applied to the device A will gradually lower the load L until it comes to rest on the transporting device platform 17, ready fortransporting. When it is desired to remove the transporting device B from under the load L, the latter may be temporarily supported in raised position by sliding the toe piece 6 of the lifting device A under the load, as shown in dot anddash lines in FIG. 1, and applying weight on the rear portion of the device A so as to hold the load L in lifted position while the transporting device B is removed from underthe load by any suitable means. The weight is then gradually removed from the device A until the latter again reaches the position shown in full lines, with a corresponding gradual lowering of the load L, whereupon the toe piece 6 is slid out from under the load.

FIG. 3 shows a somewhat modified form of transporting device B, wherein, the roller 20 is substituted by a swivel caster 120 the caster pins 121 of which are rotatably mounted on a U-shaped support 23 the crossarm of which, is provided with a pivot pin 24 extending through a hole in the platform 17 which is counterbored to receive the head 24 of the pivot pin 24, so that said head 24 will not project beyond the upper face of the platform 17. The transporting device B in this embodiment is also provided with a pin 25 extending outwardly from the rear wall 17 and intended to engage the front free end of the coil spring 7 when the transporting device B is slid into the lifting device A, or which may be engaged by any suitable means for drawing the load L. Otherwise, the transporting device shown in FIG. 3 'is similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and like parts are identified by the same reference characters.

A further slightly modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, wherein means are provided to avoid excessive lifting of the load as represented by the difference between the heights SH and EH in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the walls 2 and 3 in the lifting device A are made of heavier material and the top wall thereof is formed with a longitudinal slot 26 extending from the front edge thereof, rearwardly to a distance slightly in excess'of the length of the transporting device B. Also, the front end 3' of the top wall 3 terminates short of the front end upper portions 27 of the sidewalls 2, which are downwardly and rearwardly cutaway as at 28 to constitute a pair of aligned toe pieces. From said cutaway portion 28, the sidewalls 2 are further recessed rearwardly as at 29, the recess or cutaway portion terminating in a rounded portion 30. Otherwise, the lifting device A is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 and like parts are designated with the same reference characters.

The transporting device B in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises a pair of wheels 31 mounted outwardly of the respective side walls 18 on a pin 21 extending through suitable bearings (not shown) provided in said sidewalls 18. The wheels 31 are spaced from the outer surfaces of the sidewalls 18 by a distance slightly larger than the thickness of the device A sidewalls 2.

In order to limit the extent of the travel of the transporting device B as it is ejected from the lifting device A, stop means are provided in accordance with this embodiment of the invention, which in FIG. 4 is constituted by an upstanding projection 32 from the rear wall 19, whereas in FIG. 5 said stop means is constituted by an upstanding tab 33 located at the rear end of the platform 17 and formed with an eye 34 which may be engaged by any suitable means for drawing the load L to the desired destination.

The operation of the device as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is substantially the same as explained in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, excepting that in coupling the transporting device B to the lifting device A the projection 32 or the tab 33 will enter the slot 26 and abut against the rear end thereof. Also, the portions of the pin 21 between the outer surface of the walls 18 and the inner faces of the respective wheels 31 will bear against the rounded recesses 30 in the sidewalls 2 of the lifting device A.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 only differs from that shown in FIG. 4 in that the transporting device B is somewhat longer and includes, in addition to the pair of wheels 31, a fear wheel 35 journaled to a pin 36 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings between the opposed walls 18. The front portion of the lifting device A is made correspondingly longer to accommodate the longer device B. In this construction the steerability of the transporting device B is further improved if the rear wheel 35 is replaced by a swivel caster as shown in FIG. 3.

In the further embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 7, the transporting device B comprises a pair of spaced apart blocks 36 having upstanding flanges 37. The blocks 36 are firmly held in spaced relationship by a spacer bar 38 fixed thereto and having opposite stub axle portions 39 extending outwardly through the blocks 36 and on which the respective outer wheels 31 are rotatably mounted. In turn the lifting device A is narrower than in the previously described embodiments, the width thereof being slightly less than the spacing between the blocks 36 of the device B. The front ends of the top wall 3 and sidewalls 2 are cut away or recessed in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIG. 5: Also, the device A comprises a U-shaped member 40 having outwardly extending flange portions 41. The crossarm of the U-shaped member 40 is guided in rectangular openings 42 formed in the sidewalls 2, with the longitudinally disposed arms of the. U-shaped member directed towards the front of the device A and the flanges 41 extending outwardly from the free ends thereof. In this embodiment, the transporting device B is slid along the sides of the device A until the crossarm of the U-shaped member 40 engages the latch hook l3 and the spacer bar 38 abuts against the rounded recesses 30 in the sidewalls 2. It' will be readily understood that as the latch is released, the flanges 41 will push the transporting device B under the action of the spring 7 In FIG. 8 there is shown somewhat diagrammatically a still further embodiment of the invention, wherein the lifting device A comprises a relatively long hand lever arm 43 having therein a spring ejector 44 abutting against a projection 45 at the rear upper portion of the transporting device B. This device is particularly useful in lifting heavier loads, and the lifting device A is an integral extension of the lever arm 43, and the upstanding projection 45 in the transporting device B serves both as a stop means similar to the means 32 in FIGS. 4 and 6, and as a means by which the ejector 44 can push the device B out of the device A and under the load L to be transported. Projection 46 is useful for pushing the device A, for instance with the foot, so that portion 27 slides between the load and the floor. It will be readily understood that by moving the lever arm 43 in the direction of the arrow until the load L is fully raised, the ejector 44, under the action of the compressed spring thereof, will eject the transporting device B to the transporting position under the load L, as shown in dot and dash lines.

Moreover, it will be understood that, in any of the embodiments the means for releasably retaining the transporting device B within the lifting device A may be omitted. The device B will thus, be retained within the lifting device A merely by reason of the fact that the clearance between the load and the floor is not great enough to accommodate the device B. As soon as the lifting device A has raised the load sufficiently the transporting device is free to be projected under the load by the ejector means.

While some of the presently preferred embodiments have been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that many changes and/or modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, it will be readily understood that some of the features shown in one of the embodiments can be used in place of or in addition to those in another embodiment, and vice versa. Consequently, the scope of the invention is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A combination load lifting and transporting device, comprising a hollow load-lifting lever member having a top wall and spaced sidewalls, a detachable rolling load-transporting means capable of being housed at leastpartly under said lever member top wall and comprising a load-engaging platform substantially parallel to at least a forward portion of said lever member top wall, and at least one rolling member, means for releasably retaining said rolling load-transporting means at least partly under said lever member top wall, and spring means housed in said hollow lever member for thrusting said rolling load-transporting means under a load upon release of said retaining means when at least said forward portion of said lever member is in a full load lifting substantially horizontal position. w

2. A combination load lifting and transporting device according to claim 1, wherein said rolling load transporting means comprises a load-supporting platform and a pair of load-transporting wheels.

3. A combination load lifting and transporting device, comprising a hollow load-lifting lever member, rolling load-transporting means capable of being housed at least partly in said hollow lever member, means for releasably retaining said rolling load-transporting means at least partly in said hollow lever member, and spring means housed in said hollow lever member for thrusting said rolling load-transporting means under a load upon release of said retaining means when at least the forward portion of said lever member is in a full load lifting substantially horizontal position.

4. A combination load lifting and transporting device, comprising a hollow load-lifting lever member having a load-facing opening, rolling load-transporting means capable of being housed at least partially in said hollow lever member, springurged catch means for releasably retaining said rolling loadtransporting means in said hollow lever member, and compression spring means in said hollow lever member for thrusting said rolling load-transporting means through said opening and under a load when said lever member is in a full load lifting substantially horizontal position.

5. A combination load lifting and transporting device comprising a hollow load-lifting lever means having a load-facing opening, load transporting means capable of being housed in said hollow lever means, releasable latch means for retaining said load transporting means at a given position in said hollow lever means, means for automatically releasing said load transporting means when said hollow lever means has been moved to a given load-lifted position, and means in said hollow lever means for ejecting said load transporting means through said load-lifting means openin upon release of said latch means.

6. A combination load ifting and transporting device comprising a hollow load-lifting lever means having a load-facing opening, rolling load transporting means capable of being housed in said hollow lever means, releasable latch means arranged for retaining said rolling load transporting means in a given position within the confines of said hollow lever means, means projecting from said hollow lever means for releasing said latch means, and means in said hollow lever means for rolling said load transporting means through said opening and underalifted load.

7. A combination'load lifting and transporting device comprising a hollow, inverted U-shaped lever means having a loadengaging end portion, load transporting means including a platform and rolling means and dimensioned for free sliding movement into and out of said inverted U-shaped lever means releasable latch means in said lever means for holding said load transporting means in a given position within said inverted U-shaped lever means, means in said lever means for releasing said latch means, and spring means for ejecting said load transporting means from said inverted U-shaped lever means upon release of said latch means.

8. A combination load lifting and transporting device comprising a lever member having a top wall, a pair of spaced sidewalls having each a rearwardly and downwardly inclined end portion and a raised toe portion at said end, a load transporting means including a platform and at least one rolling means and dimensioned for fitting with a certain clearance within the confines of said lever member walls, latch means located between the inner side walls of said lever member and including a releasing arm projecting from the bottom portion thereof, said latch means having hook means capable of being engaged by said load transporting means for holding same in latched condition within the confines of said lever member walls, and spring means within said lever member, arranged to be compressed by said load-transporting means while in said latched condition and to eject said load-transporting means upon release of said latch means.

9. A combination load lifting and transporting device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said load-transporting means rolling means is arranged to project slightly from said inclined end portion of said lever member, when in latched condition therein, for initially acting as a fulcrum for said lever member.

10. A combination load lifting and transporting device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said load-transporting means includes stop means for limiting the extent of travel thereof when ejected from said lever member.

11. A combination load lifting and transporting device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said load-transporting device has a rearwardly and downwardly inclined forward end in correspondence with the similarly inclined end of said lever member.

12. A combination load lifting and transporting device comprising a hollow load-lifting lever means including an elongated lever arm and a load-facing opening, load-transporting means capable of being housed at least partially within said hollow lever means below said lever arm, and spring-actuated ejector means for ejecting said load-transporting means from said hollow lever means through said load-facing opening. 

